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no chance for me。 So I just lay there and thought of my sins； and prayed to
the Almighty； and thought that； after all； life was a very enjoyable thing。
〃And then all of a sudden I heard a crashing of bushes and the
shouting and whistling of men； and there were the two boys coming back
with the cattle； which they had found trekking along all together。 The lions
lifted their heads and listened； then without a sound bounded offand I
fainted。
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〃The lions came back no more that night； and by the next morning my
nerves had got pretty straight again； but I was full of wrath when I thought
of all that I had gone through at the hands； or rather noses； of those four
lions； and of the fate of my after…ox Kaptein。 He was a splendid ox； and I
was very fond of him。 So wroth was I that； like a fool； I determined to
attack the whole family of them。 It was worthy of a greenhorn out on his
first hunting…trip； but I did it nevertheless。 Accordingly after breakfast；
having rubbed some oil upon my leg； which was very sore from the cub's
tongue； I took the driver； Tom； who did not half like the job； and having
armed myself with an ordinary double No。 12 smooth…bore； the first
breech…loader I ever had； I started。 I took the smooth…bore because it shot a
bullet very well； and my experience has been that a round ball from a
smooth…bore is quite as effective against a lion as an express bullet。 The
lion is soft； and not a difficult animal to finish if you hit him anywhere in
the body。 A buck takes far more killing。
〃Well； I started； and the first thing I set to work to do was to try to
make out whereabouts the brutes lay up for the day。 About three hundred
yards from the waggon was the crest of a rise covered with single mimosa…
trees； dotted about in a park…like fashion； and beyond this was a stretch of
open plain running down to a dry pan； or water… hole； which covered about
an acre of ground； and was densely clothed with reeds； now in the sear and
yellow leaf。 From the farther edge of this pan the ground sloped up again
to a great cleft； or nullah； which had been cut out by the action of the
water； and was pretty thickly sprinkled with bush； among which grew
some large trees； I forget of what sort。
〃It at once struck me that the dry pan would be a likely place to find
my friends in； as there is nothing a lion is fonder of than lying up in reeds；
through which he can see things without being seen himself。 Accordingly
thither I went and prospected。 Before I had got half…way round the pan I
found the remains of a blue vilder…beeste that had evidently been killed
within the last three or four days and partially devoured by lions； and from
other indications about I was soon assured that if the family were not in
the pan that day they spent a good deal of their spare time there。 But if
there； the question was how to get them out； for it was clearly impossible
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to think of going in after them unless one was quite determined to commit
suicide。 Now there was a strong wind blowing from the direction of the
waggon； across the reedy pan toward the bush…clad kloof or donga； and
this first gave me the idea of firing the reeds； which； as I think I told you；
were pretty dry。 Accordingly Tom took some matches and began starting
little fires to the left； and I did the same to the right。 But the reeds were
still green at the bottom； and we should never have got them well alight
had it not been for the wind； which grew stronger and stronger as the sun
climbed higher； and forced the fire into them。 At last； after half an hour's
trouble； the flames got a hold； and began to spread out like a fan；
whereupon I went round to the farther side of the pan to wait for the lions；
standing well out in the open； as we stood at the copse to…day where you
shot the woodcock。 It was a rather risky thing to do； but I used to be so
sure of my shooting in those days that I did not so much mind the risk。
Scarcely had I got round when I heard the reeds parting before the onward
rush of some animal。 'Now for it；' said I。 On it came。 I could see that it was
yellow； and prepared for action； when instead of a lion out bounded a
beautiful rietbok which had been lying in the shelter of the pan。 It must； by
the way； have been a rietbok of a peculiarly confiding nature to lay itself
down with the lion； like the lamb of prophecy； but I suppose the reeds
were thick； and that it kept a long way off。
〃Well； I let the rietbok go； and it went like the wind； and kept my eyes
fixed upon the reeds。 The fire was burning like a furnace now； the flames
crackling and roaring as they bit into the reeds； sending spouts of fire
twenty feet and more into the air； and making the hot air dance above it in
a way that was perfectly dazzling。 But the reeds were still half green； and
created an enormous quantity of smoke； which came rolling toward me
like a curtain； lying very low on account of the wind。 Presently； above the
crackling of the fire； I heard a startled roar； then another and another。 So
the lions were at home。
〃I was beginning to get excited now； for； as you fellows know； there is
nothing in experience to warm up your nerves like a lion at close quarters；
unless it is a wounded buffalo； and I got still more so when I made out
through the smoke that the lions were all moving about on the extreme
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edge of the reeds。 Occasionally they would pop their heads out like rabbits
from a burrow； and then； catching sight of me standing about fifty yards
out； draw them back again。 I knew that it must be getting pretty warm
behind them； and that they could not keep the game up for long； and I was
not mistaken； for suddenly all four of them broke cover together； the old
black…maned lion leading by a few yards。 I never saw a more splendid
sight in all my hunting experience than those four lions bounding across
the veldt； overshadowed by the dense pall of smoke and backed by the
fiery furnace of the burning reeds。
〃I reckoned that they would pass； on their road to the bushy